Self-Advocates and Civil Stakeholders
FCAI Associate Director Dave Caudel Discusses the Strengths and Challenges of Neurodiversity in New Talk
Mar. 30, 2024—Last week, FCAI Associate Director Dave Caudel spoke for a Disability @ Work session hosted by the UNC Charlotte Career Center. Caudel discussed the strengths and challenges of neurodiversity, and these undeserved and underutilized members of our society. You can view the video below or on YouTube here. Every spring, the UNC Career Center offers programming...
Applications Now Open for Aspie Bootcamp: Python 2024
Feb. 26, 2024—The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is pleased to announce that applications are open for the third year of our summer program Aspie Bootcamp: Python — our free, virtual, summer coding camp. This bootcamp is a great way to become eligible for future internship and employment opportunities with employers who seek job candidates that...
FCAI NISE Fellow Publishes Article in Psychology Today Regarding Grief in the Autistic Community
Feb. 13, 2024—Frist Center for Autism and Innovation Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellow Hari Srinivasan has published a new article in Psychology Today about the impact of grief on the autistic community. In this article, Hari discusses his own moving experiences with grief after the recent loss of both of his grandparents and how grief as...
FCAI NISE Fellow Hari Srinivasan Pens Second Op-Ed for Time Magazine
Jan. 5, 2024—On January 3rd, 2024, Frist Center for Autism and Innovation Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellow Hari Srinivasan published his second article in Time magazine, entitled “The Pervasive Loneliness of Autism”. In this thought-provoking article, Srinivasan discusses how the epidemic of loneliness disproportionally effects the autistic population, and is only exacerbated by U.S. notions of...
FCAI Associate Director and Program Manager Speak at OCALICONLINE 2023
Nov. 30, 2023—On November 16th, FCAI Associate Director Dave Caudel and Program and Communications Manager Jessica Schonhut-Stasik spoke at the 2023 OCALICONLINE Autism and Disabilities Conference about the programs and opportunities available at the Frist Center. OCALICONLINE is run by OCALI who are “a model agency for inspiring change and promoting access for people with disabilities. But...
FCAI November Webinar Hosts Filmmakers from “In A Different Key” to Discuss Toolkit
Nov. 30, 2023—This month’s FCAI webinar hosted filmmakers Caren Zucker and John Donvan to discuss their new educational toolkit, inspired by their documentary In A Different Key, which is available to stream for free on PBS. FCAI Program and Communications Manager Jessica Schonhut-Stasik led the conversation with Zucker and Donvan to discuss how the toolkit at film works in harmony...
FCAI Program and Communications Manager Speaks at the International Forum on Research Excellence
Nov. 11, 2023—On Saturday, 11th November, First Center for Autism and Innovation Program and Communications Manager Jessica Schonhut-Stasik spoke at the 2nd Annual International Forum on Research Excellence in Long Beach, California. The session Jessica led opened with a talk about Neurodiversity in STEM: How Great Supports Lead to Great Endeavors, where Jessica told her own story...
WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENT: INDK Filmmakers Meeting to Discuss New Educational Tool
Nov. 7, 2023—The Frist Center team are so excited to announce our November Webinar. The team from “In A Different Key” the movie, will be joining us to discuss their new toolkit, designed to support understanding around autism. The In A Different Key movie is available on PBS for free, and the toolkit contains discussion booklets and...
College Autism Summit Returns to Nashville for Biggest Summit Yet!
Oct. 30, 2023—Exhibitors filled the Student Life Center ballroom with excitement and buzz. The College Autism Network returned this year to Vanderbilt University’s Student Life Center for the largest summit yet, the 7th College Autism Summit, with the theme ‘Finding a Balance.’ The College Autism Summit gathers nationwide educators, researchers, advocates, and other professionals together to discuss tensions and opportunities...
FCAI Director, Visiting Fellow and Program Manager Speak at Neurowrx Conference
Oct. 30, 2023—Last week, FCAI Director Keivan Stassun, Program and Communications Manager Jessica Schonhut-Stasik, and Visiting Fellow Judy Reilly spoke at the 3rd International Gathering for Neurowrx, hosted by Aspiritech. Neurowrx is a global alliance of corporations, non-profit organizations, and individuals working together to foster and inspire employment for people on the autism spectrum in science, technology, engineering, arts,...